OPPapers.com Essay Index >> Social Issues >> Ethical Issues Facing Health Care
We have many free term papers and essays on Ethical Issues Facing Health Care. We also have a wide variety of research papers and book reports available to you for free. You can browse our collection of term papers or use our search engine.
Ethical Issues Facing Health Care Ethical Issues Facing Health Care Paper Surgery has become commonplace in hospitals around the world. Even the smallest of hospitals
Health Society" Introduction The need to have an understanding of the moral, legal and ethical issues facing clinicians dealing with end of life issues. Those who
and do not have an access to therapies. Local governments cannot afford vast reimbursements of health care products and that dispense the citizens of the lifesaving
quality health care for all members in the neighborhood regardless of race, creed, moral or ethical issues. The staff is comprised of highly qualified, morally and
for nursing states that nurses should " integrate knowledge of ethical and legal aspects of health care and professional values into nursing practice". It is important
Submitted by funkywabit on February 21, 2007
Category: Social Issues
Words: 595 | Pages: 3
Views: 1206
Popularity Rank: 5,386
Average Member Grade: N/A (Add a Comment / Grade this Paper)
Ethical Issues Facing Health Care Paper
Surgery has become commonplace in hospitals around the world. Even the smallest of hospitals have at least one operating room. Surgeons operate in theses operating room. They operate on all types of people. From other doctors to high school dropouts, the opportunity for surgery does not take into account the amount of education a patient has obtained. Before any surgery occurs consent must be obtained. Consent is usually in the form of a preprinted letter with a spot to handwrite the name of the procedure to be preformed. Once presented to the patient they are expected to sign on the dotted line which gives permission for the procedure to be completed. The ethical dilemma with this process is the consent is to be informed. Merck (2006) wrote "consent becomes informed when the person has the ability to understand and ultimately does understand the potential benefits and risks of his decision and the alternatives to the choice he is making. When a person gives consent, the doctor and all other health care practitioners are then legally and ethically obligated to abide by the conditions of the consent agreement. Their obligation ends only if the person later withdraws or modifies consent."
Some patients are expected to sign the consent even before they have met the surgeon. In some cases nurses obtain the signed consent while trying to answer the questions the patient has. Obviously, this is not informed consent. Another dilemma is when pain medicine is withheld from a patient until they sign the consent. The medicine is withheld so the patient will not be under the influence of narcotics when they are consented. Unfortunately, the patient my feel pressured to sign the consent without asking any questions so they can get the medicine to help their pain. Van Norman (1998) wrote "It is common to encounter patients who have received sedation and/or pain medication prior to coming to surgery,...
You must Login to view the entire paper.
If you are not a member yet, Sign Up for free!